Grand-piano action.



PATENTED SEPT. 15, 1908. T. T. FISCHER. I GRAND PIANO AGTION.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 28 1903.-

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Inward-0r PATENTEDSEPT. 15, 1903.

T. T. FISCHER.

GRAND PIANO ACTION.

APPLICATION 211.111) APR. 2a. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

mine/536s 71/3 cutter/46 g.

Patented September 15, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

TORQUATO TASSO FISCHER, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

GRAND-PIANO ACTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,786, dated September 15, 1903.

Application filed April 28, 1903. Serial No. 154,615. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ToRoUATo TASSO FISCHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, New York county, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grand-Piano Actions, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in grand-piano actions.

It is the main purpose of my invention to provide a construction by which the rapid repetition of the action is made certain and reliable.

There are other objects and advantages which will be apparent to one familiar with the art from a reading of the following description.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a piano-action, showing such parts as are necessary to a full understanding of my invention. In this figure the parts are shown in their normal position. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the parts in solid lines indicating the position in which they appear when the operative end of the key is fully depressed, the dotted lines of this figure indicating the position of these parts when the operative end of the key has been slightly raised from its lowermost position. Fig. 3 is a relatively enlarged view in section of certain details of construction.

1 is a key mounted at 2 on the frame 3.

4. is a stud or post on key 1.

5 is a lever pivoted to the under side of the whip 6. The post 4 engages one end of the lever 5. The whip 6 is pivoted at 7 to a stationary flange 8.

9 is the jack. The jack is pivoted to the free end of the whip 6 and has the usual extension 10, arranged to engage an adjustable stop 11, by which said jack is tripped at the proper moment. The free end of the jack normally engages under a buffer 13 on the hammer 12. The hammer 12 is pivoted at 1 1 and is provided with the usual felt head at its free end.

15 is a string.

16 is the usual back-check mounted on key 1.

17 is the repetition-lever, and this lever instead of being mounted on the whip, as heretofore, is mounted entirely independently thereof-for example,'upon an extension 81 of thestationary flange 8.

18 is a spring tending to move the free end of the repetition-lever upward. The spring 18, has a hearing at 19 on the whip 6, Fig. 3. This spring 18 may have an extension which may bear against the under side of an ad justing-screw 20, by which screw the tension of the spring may be varied to the desired degree.

21 is an adjustable stop for the free end of the repetition-lever 17.

22 is a bar located under one end of the lever 5. The bar 22 may be elevated by rod 23, leading to the soft pedal. When this pedal is applied, the rod 22 is raised to the desired extent, thus lifting the whip and the other parts associated therewith through the medium of lever 5. Under such conditions when the key is struck it will impart less movement to the hammer 12, and consequentlyproduoe a softer tone.

24 is a damper connected to lever 25, which is operated by the inner end of the key 1.

26 is a connection between the damper 24 and lever 25.

27 is a guide for the rod 26.

The operation is as follows: When the key is struck, it lifts the whip, jack, and repetition-lever and simultaneously throws up the hammer against the string. At the proper moment the jack is tripped and freed from the hammer, which latter upon its return is checked partially by the repetition-lever 17, the parts then assuming the position shown in solid lines, Fig. 2. In this position it will be observed the jack stands slightly forward of the bufier or pad on hammer 12. As soon as the inner end of the key starts to descend the whip and jack move with it; but the repetition-lever remains stationary and still continues to bear under the buifer 13 of the hammer 12. Not until the jack actually gets under the bufier or'pad 13 of the hammer does the repetition lever move downward. At that moment a stop 31, carried by the extension of the whip, will engage the repetition-lever and carry it down. It is because the repetition-lever cannot move in the slight est until the jack has resumed its operative position under the buffer 13 that the repetition is quicker and is more certain and reliable.

The part 29 is an adjustable stop which may be carried by the jack and which may by engaging with the extension 30 determine the range of movement of the jack 9 toward the said part 30. The function and purpose of the parts 29, 30, and 31 are so well known to the mechanic skilled in this art as to require no further detailed explanation.

What I claim is 1. In a grand-piano action, a whip, and a repetition-lever pivotally mounted independently thereof.

2. In a grand-piano action, a whip, a jack, a hammer, and a repetition-lever pivotally mounted independently of the whip, said parts being cooperatively connected, substantially as described.

3. In a grand-piano action, a Whip, a jack carried thereby, means to trip the jack, a repetition -lever mounted independently of the whip, and a hammer normally engaged by the jack and engaged by the repetition-lever when the parts are in position to propel said hammer and while said jack is tripped.

4:. In a grand-piano action, a whip, a jack pivotally carried by the whip, means to trip the jack when the action is elevated to the desired extent, a hammer normally engaged bythejack, arepetition-lever pivotally mounted independently of the whip and engaging the hammer while the jack is tripped.

5. In a grand-piano action,-a Whip, a jack carried by the whip, a repetition-lever mounted independently of the whip, a hammer, said jack being arranged to engage the same while the Whip is being elevated, said repetitionlever engaging said hammer when the jack is tripped, a stop carried by the whip and aron the downward movement of the Whip the jack has assumed its normal operative position.

6. In a grand-piano action, a whip, a jack carried thereby, a repetition-lever pivotally mounted independently of the whip, a lever pivotally carried by the whip and engaged on one side of its pivot by a key, and means coacting with said lever on the other side of said pivot to tilt the same and partially elevate said parts, said means being controlled by the soft pedal.

Signed at New York, N. Y., this 27th day of April, 1903.

TORQUATO TASSO FISCHER.

WVitnesses:

R. O. ll/IITCHELL, L. VREELAND.

ranged to engage the repetition-lever when 

